Filling end holder for looms



Feb. 11, 1941. c 1 BROWN 7 2,231,356

FILLING END HOLDER FOR LOOMS Filed Nov 18, 1939 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENZUR.

EL D, 530 wz w. BY

Feb, 11, 1941. c. D. BROWN 2,231,356

FILLING END HOLDER FOR LOOMS Filed Nov. 18, 1939 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 l4 7 L... 4 v m 6? (IV 1' N i INVENTOR. CARL 0. E/EOWN.

ATTORNEY.

Patented Feb. 11, 1941 UNITED STATES are Carl D. Brown, Hopedale, Mass, assignor to Draper Corporation, Hopedale, Mass, a corporation of Maine Application November 18, 1939, Serial No. 3%,153

16 Claims.

The present invention pertains to automatic filling replenishing looms, and more particularly relates to filling thread holding and tensioning means for such looms.

The usual automatic filling replenishing loom includes a reciprocating lay, a shuttle, and filling replenishing mechanism for automatically replenishing the filling supply whenever the supply in the shuttle becomes substantially exhausted. Such replenishing mechanism includes a magazine for holding a multiplicity of reserve filling carriers. The ends of the filling thread on the reserve carriers are extended and retained by a holder. In prior looms, the filling end holder mentioned usually consists of a fixed spindle or the like about which the filling ends are wrapped, although a prior pneumatic filling end holder has been used to a limited extent.

The aforesaid pneumatic holder comprises a conduit having an opening located in position to receive the filling ends from the reserve filling carriers, and pneumatic means for inducing a current of air to flow into said opening to thereby draw the filling ends into the conduit and to hold and tension such ends. The pneumatic means has been arranged to operate continuously. Such pneumatic filling end holder is possessed of a number of substantial advantages over the aforesaid prior fixed holder. It is particularly noted that the pneumatic holder saves time in filling the magazine by eliminating the manual operation of winding the ends on a fixed holder, provides a yielding tension on the filling end during the replenishing operation and the first pick of the shuttle after filling replenishment, and serves to remove the filling end from the loom after the filling end is parted at the cloth selvage. However, the said pneumatic holder has not been acceptable commercially because the continuous air current whips and frays the filling ends, thereby causing the ends to break during the replenishing operation or the first pick thereafter.

A principal object of the present invention is to provide an automatic filling replenishing loom ends in said holding member during the periods of non-operation of the pneumatic means, whereby fraying of the filling ends by said pneumatic means shah be substantially eliminated.

Incidental to the operation of the replenishing mechanism outgoing and incoming filling ends are formed. These filling ends extend from the cloth selvage and when severed at the cloth selvage form loos-e pieces of filling thread. It is necessary that these loose pieces of filling thread be removed from the loom to prevent their being caught and woven into the cloth.

Accordingly it is a further object of the present invention to provide an automatic filling replenishing loom of the type aforesaid, and which shall have pneumatic means for holding and tensioning the reserve filling ends and for removing loose pieces of incoming and outgoing filling ends, said pneumatic means comprising a conduit arranged to receive the filling ends, a pump for inducing a flow of air into the conduit, electrical means for operating the pump and a circuit supplying electrical energy to the electrical means only during and for a predetermined interval after each operation of the replenishing mechanism.

The foregoing and other objects of the invention are accomplished in the construction illustrated on the accompanying drawings, of which:

Fig. 1 is a plan View of part of a loom having the preferred embodiment of my invention applied thereto;

Flg. 2 is a view in elevation of one corner of said loom;

Fig. 3 is a front View of the same;

Fig. 4 is a view in cross-section taken approximately on line 5- of Fig. l but to a larger scale;

Fig. 5 is a wiring diagram of certain electrical apparatus on said loom; and

Fig. 6 is a view in cross-section taken approximately on line 6-6 of Fig. 2 but to a larger scale.

The loom shown on the drawings is but fragmentarily illustrated, the parts and mechanisms not shown being of any suitable usual construction and not of the present invention. In addition, certain of the parts shown are not new, they being of the present invention only to the extent that they comprise parts that may be used as elements in the combination defined in the appended claims.

The aforesaid old parts include a loom frame of which the right hand loom side I and breast beam 2 are shown, and also include the lay, shuttle box, shuttle, and picking mechanism as hereinafter mentioned. The lay includes a lay beam 3 mounted to reciprocate toward and from the front of the loom and carrying a shuttle box 4 at one end thereof. The shuttle box 4 is located at the replenishing side of the loom and is adapted to receive a shuttle 5 which carries a. supply of filling thread. The shuttle is picked from side to side of the loom, along the lay beam 3, by picking mechanism which'may include a picker stick 6. As the shuttle is thus picked, it lays filling thread in the shed S which filling thread is beaten into place in cloth C.

The filling supply in the shuttle 5 is automatically replenished whenever it becomes substantially exhausted. To this end, the loom is provided with filling replenishing mechanism which in the embodiment shown is of the bobbin changing type. The bobbin changing mechanism shown includes a rotary magazine 8 adapted to hold a multiplicity of reserve filling carriers such as bobbins 9. The filling ends F of the filling on the bobbins 9 are extended beyond'the end of the magazine 8 and held by a holding mechanism to be described in detail. The replenishing mechanism also includes a transferrer II) and a rod I I.

The substantial exhaustion of the filling supply in the shuttle 5 is detected by usual means, not shown, which thereupon causes the rod II to be turned in a clockwise direction as the rod is shown on Fig. 4. When the rod I I is thus turned, suitable connections therefrom cause the transferrer II) to transfer the lowermost bobbin 9 from the magazine 8 into the shuttle, and to expel the exhausted bobbin from the shuttle. This replenishing operation occurs as the lay beam 3 approaches its forwardmost position on the next beat-u after the turning of the rod I I. Promptly after the transferring operation, the rod II is returned to its idle position, and the replenishing operation is then complete. The replenishing mechanism as thus far described is old and well known in the art and accordingly is but fragmentarily shown and described.

At the time of each transferring operation, the filling thread is parted between the ends of the shuttle, and the branch F of such thread which projects from the cloth selvage is clamped and withdrawn forwardly out of the shuttle box 4. The end F is known as the outgoing filling end. The drawings show parting and clamping blades I2 for parting, clamping and withdrawing the outgoing filling end F. The blades I2 and the operating mechanism therefor, not shown, may be substantially the same as in patent to Stafiord, No. 1,552,388, granted Sept. 1, 1925, to which patent reference may be had for a more complete disclosure.

The present invention provides a novel pneumatic mechanism for holding and tensioning the filling ends F. Such mechanism includes a suitable holding member, preferably in the form of a conduit I3 having an opening I4 therein. The opening I4 may consist of the open end of the conduit 53. The filling carriers 9 are held parallel to the lay beam 3 above the shuttle box 4. When the filling carriers are manually inserted in the magazine 8, the filling ends F are unwound and extended outwardly, beyond the outer end of the magazine 8. The opening I4 in the conduit is so located that it may receive or contain the ends of all of the filling ends F. Thus, in the embodiment shown, the opening I4 is located above the shuttle box 4 adjacent the outer end of the magazine 8, but below and slightly back of the axis of rotation of the magazine.

The filling ends F, extended as above described, are manually presented to or adjacent the opening I4 at the time when the reserve filling car riers 9 are inserted in the magazine. The loom is provided with means for inducing currents of air to fiow into the opening I4 to thereby draw the ends F into the holder or conduit I3. The particular pneumatic means shown includes a rotary suction fan or pump I5 which is enclosed within a housing I6. The conduit I3 extends, from its open end I4, forwardlyand thence horizontally inwardly of the .loom as at I1, thence downwardly as at I8 and thence rearwardly as at I9. The rearward end of the portion I9 of the conduit connects with the center or intake opening in the housing I6. The fan I5 is electrically operated, and to this end it may be fixed on the end of the rotor shaft of an electric motor 2!. The housing of the motor 2| may be bolted directly to the housing I5 and the unit thus formed may be supported on a fixed bracket 22. The exhaust conduit 23 of the housing I6 may lead to any suitable point remote from the moving parts of the loom.

It will be apparent that when the motor ZI and fan I5 are in operation, all of the filling ends F within the opening I4 will be tensioned simultaneously by the currents of air flowing into the opening. The yielding tension thus provided is particularly desirable during actual operation of the replenishing mechanism and during the first pick of the shuttle 5 after each replenishing operation. It is also desirable that the pneumatic means, such as fan I5, be in operation at the times when, after each replenishing operation, the incoming filling end is parted adjacent the cloth selvage. The parting of the incoming filling end is effected by any suitable means such as the usual temple thread cutter 24, and is usually accomplished within an interval of a few picks after completion of the replenishing operation. With the pneumatic means in operation, the parted incoming filling end is promptly carried through the conduit I3 and out the exhaust 23 and is thereby removed from the loom.

According to the present invention, the pneumatic end holding means is to be operative intermittently. More specifically, means are provided which normally supply electric energy to the motor 2I only during and for an interval of a plurality of picks after each replenishing operation. The preferred means for this purpose includes an electric circuit of which one lead 25 is directly connected to the motor 2| and the other lead 26 is connected to a switch 21 which, in turn, is connected to the motor 2| by a lead 28. The particular switch 21 is a commercial form of mercury switch which is pivoted at 29 and so arranged that it is closed when tilted up as in Figs. 4 and 5 and open when tilted down as in Fig. 2. When the switch 2'! is closed, the circuit to the motor 2| is complete and the motor, of course, then operates.

The switch 21 is normally retained, by gravity, in its open position and is closed, by a suitable part of the replenishing mechanism, each time that the replenishing mechanism operates. As shown, the switch 21 may be closed by the rod II, this rod having a spring arm 30 fixed thereto and extending downwardly and rearwardly at 3| in position to prevent the switch from dropping materially below its open position. When the rod II is turned to cause operation of the transferrer It as above described, the arm 30 moves from its dotted: line position to its full line position, Fig. 4, thereby tilting the switch 21 to closed position.

The rod H and arm return to normal position upon completion of each replenishing operation, whereas it is desirable that switch 21 remain closed for an appreciable interval after each such operation. There is accordingly provided a holding means, in the form of an electro-magnet 32, for holding the switch 211 closed and a timing device for effecting the opening of the switch after an interval of a few seconds. The magnet 32 is energized from the secondary winding of a transformer 33. One lead 34 extends from the transformer to the magnet. Another lead 35 extends from the magnet to a contact member 36 which normally engages a contact 31, the latter being connected to the transformer by a lead 38. The primary of the transformer 33 is connected in parallel with the motor 2! by leads 39 and it! so that the transformer, and thereby ma net 32, is energized whenever switch 21 is closed.

The preferred timing device shown includes a heat-responsive element 4! consisting of a birnetal strip adapted to change its shape when heated. One end of the strip 4| is fixed and the other end thereof carries contact 31. The strip 4! is so arranged that when it is heated for the desired interval it will move contact 31 away from contact 38, thereby de-energizing the transformer 33 and magnet 32. This allows the switch 2? to fall to open position. Heat is applied to the strip 4! by a coil 42 which is electrically connected to the leads M and 40. As thus connected, the coil 32 is heated only while the switch Zl is closed. The timing device as thus described, including the transformer 33 and certain of the electrical connections or leads, may be housed within a container mounted at any convenient place of the loom. These parts are accordingly not shown except diagrammatically on Fig. 5.

The present invention further provides means for frictionally holding the filling ends F during the periods of non-operation of the pneumatic means above described. Preferably, such additional holding means consists of a friction material so constructed and located as to engage the filling ends F that are in opening M. The particular form shown comprises a lining 43 of pile material in the conduit I3 adjacent the opening i l. The lining 43 may consist of a piece of fur or the like having hairs, or other pile elements,

which are inclined away from the opening Hi. Such material will frictionally prevent the ends F from becoming slack, but will not prevent the pneumatic means from imparting additional yielding tension. to the ends at the time of filling replenishment. This holding means permits the pneumatic means to be operated intermittently, and the fraying of the ends F thereby substantially eliminated.

A branch conduit 44 extends rearwardly from the part I! of conduit l3, in position to remove loose pieces of outgoing filling ends F from the loom. The conduit d4 together with conduit l8, fan l5, motor 2! and the means for controlling the operation of the motor forms a pneumatic filling end remover. This combination of parts is disclosed and claimed in my co-pending application S. N. fill 095 filed Nov. 13, 1939, and is not claimed herein except broadly in combination with the filling end holding and tensioning device.

While the devices described above for controlling the motor 2! and fan l5 cause such fan to operate only at and for an interval after each replenishing operation, it is, nevertheless, desirable that such fan operate at certain other intervals. More specifically, the operator may fill the magazine 8 with reserve bobbins 9 at a time when the fan 15 is not operating. In this case, the operator should not be required to wait until the next replenishing operation before presenting the ends F to the opening id, and the fan l5 accordingly should be operable at the will of the operator.

It will be noted that the mounting of switch 27 is such that the switch can be manually tilted to closed position at any time, independent of operation of the filling replenishing mechanism. The switch is not, however, conveniently located for manual operation. I accordingly provide a bell crank lever 45 loosely pivoted on rod II and having an arm 46 engaging the spring arm 30. The other arm of the lever 45 extends forwardly and constitutes a handle. This handle may be quickly depressed by the operator at any time, whereupon the arm 46 bends the spring arm 39 rearwardly suificiently to close the switch 21, thereby causing operation of the motor 2i and fan l5 independent of the replenishing mechanism, The magnet 32 and bi-metal strip 4i will, of course, efiect the opening of the switch 2'! after the same predetermined interval, regardless of whether the switch is closed by manual device 45 or the replenishing mechanism.

Having fully disclosed the preferred embodiment of my invention, I claim:

1. An automatic filling replenishing loom having a reciprocating lay, a shuttle, filling replenishing mechanism including a magazine adapted to hold reserve filling carriers, said carriers having filling ends extending therefrom, and filling end holding and tensioning means associated with said magazine, said means comprising a holding member, pneumatic means for drawing said filling ends within said member, means for operating said pneumatic means only during and for a predetermined interval after each operation of said replenishing mechanism, and means for frictionally holding said ends and preventing the same from becoming slack during the intervals of non-operation of said pneumatic means.

2. An automatic filling replenishing loom having a reciprocating lay, a shuttle, filling replenishing mechanism including a magazine adapted to hold a multiplicity of reserve filling carriers, said carriers each having a projecting filling end, a holding member located adjacent said magazine and adapted to receive all of said filling ends, pneumatic means for simultaneously tensioning all of said filling ends within said holding means, means for operating said pneumatic means intermittently, the periods of operation thereof being during and for a plurality of picks after each replenishing operation, and means for frictionally holding said filling ends during the periods of non-operation of said pneumatic means.

3. An automatic filling replenishing loom, said loom having filling replenishing mechanism in cluding a magazine adapted to hold a multiplicity of reserve filling carriers, said carriers each having a filling end projecting therefrom, a conduit having an opening located adjacent the outer end of said magazine in position to receive all of said filling ends, pneumatic means for drawing said filling ends into said conduit and for simultaneously tensioning all of said ends, means for operating said pneumatic means only during and for a plurality of picks after each operation of said replenishing mechanism, and means for frictionally holding said filling ends in said conduit .during the periods of non-operation of said pneumatic means.

4. An automatic filling replenishing loom, said loom having filling replenishing mechanism including a magazine adapted to hold a multiplicity of reserve filling carriers, said carriers having filling ends projecting therefrom, and means for holding and tensioning said filling ends, said means comprising a conduit having an opening adapted to receive all of said filling ends, pneumatic means for simultaneously tensioning all the filling ends within said conduit, an electric motor for operating said pneumatic means, means supplying electric energy to operate said motor only during and for a predetermined interval after each replenishing operaloom having filling replenishing mechanism including a magazine adapted to hold a multiplicity of reserve filling carriers, said carriers having filling ends projecting therefrom, pneumatic means for simultaneously holding and tensioning all of said filling ends, an electric motor for operating said pneumatic means, an electric circuit for supplying electric energy to said motor, said circuit including a switch, means for closing said switch each time said replenishing mechanism operates, means for opening said switch after each said replenishing operation, and means for frictionally holding said filling ends while said switch is open.

6. An automatic filling replenishing loom, said loom having filling replenishing mechanism including a magazine adapted to hold a multiplicity of reserve filling carriers, said carriers having filling ends projecting therefrom, a conduit having an opening located in position to receive said filling ends, pneumatic means for holding and tensioning the filling ends within said conduit, an electric motor for operating said pneumatic means, an electric circuit for supplying electric energy to said motor, said circuit including a switch, means operated by some part of said replenishing mechanism for closing said switch, heat-responsive means operative when heated to efiect the opening of said switch after a plurality of picks of the loom, means for ap= plying heat to said heat-responsive means only when said switch is closed, and means for holding said filling ends in said conduit while said switch is open.

'7. An automatic filling replenishing loom having a reciprocating lay, filling replenishing mechanism including a magazine adapted to hold a multiplicity of reserve filling carriers above and parallel to said lay, said filling carriers having filling ends extending beyond the outer end of said magazine, a conduit having an opening located adjacent the outer end of said magazine in position to receive the ends of all of said filling ends, pneumatic means for holding and tensioning all of the filling ends within said conduit, means for operating said pneumatic means only during and for a predetermined interval after each replenishing operation, and friction material located adjacent said opening in positon to engage and hold said filling ends in said opening during the periods of non operation of said pneumatic means.

8. An automatic filling replenishing loom having a reciprocating lay, filling replenishing mechanism including a magazine adapted to hold a multiplicity of reserve filling carriers, said carriers having filling ends extending beyond the outer end of said magazine, a conduit having an open end located adjacent the outer end of said magazine in position to receive all of said filling ends, a lining of pile material in said conduit adjacent said open end for frictionally holding said filling ends, pneumatic means for drawing said filling ends along said pile material away from said open end, to thereby tension said filling ends, and means for operating said pneumatic means only during and for a plurality of picks after each replenishing operation.

9. An automatic filling replenishing loom hav- I ing a lay, filling replenishing mechanism including a magazine adapted to hold a multiplicity of reserve filling carriers, said carriers having filling ends projecting therefrom, a conduit having an opening for receiving and holding said filling ends, pneumatic means for drawing said filling ends within said conduit and for tensioning the same, means for effecting operation of said pneumatic means only during and for a predetermined interval after each replenishing operation, and manually operable means for effecting operation of said last named means at any time independent of operation of said replenishing mechanism.

10. An automatic filling replenishing loom having a lay, filling replenishing mechanism including a magazine adapted to hold a multiplicity of reserve filling carriers, said carriers having filling ends projecting therefrom, pneumatic holding and tensioning mechanism for holding and tensioning said filling ends, means operated by some part of said replenishing mechanism for rendering said pneumatic mechanism operative each time that said replenishing mechanism operates, manually operable means for rendering said last named means operative at any time independent of operation of said replenishing mechanism, and control means including a timing device for rendering said pneumatic mechanism inoperative a predetermined interval after the same is rendered operative as aforesaid.

11. An automatic filling replenishing loom having a lay, filling replenishing mechanism including a magazine adapted to hold a multiplicity of reserve filling carriers, said carriers having filling ends projecting therefrom, a conduit having an opening for receiving and holding said filling ends, electrically operated pneumatic means for drawing said filling ends within said conduit and for tensioning the same, an electric circuit supplying electric energy to said means, said circuit including a switch, means operated by some part of said replenishing mechanism for closing said switch, manually operable means for closing said switch at any time independent of operation of said replenishing mechanism, and control means including a timing device arranged to effect the opening of said switch a plurality of picks after each closing thereof.

12. In an automatic filling replenishing loom the combination of pneumatic means fOr holding and tensioning the reserve filling ends and removing loose pieces of incoming and outgoing filling ends from the loom, said pneumatic means comprising a conduit arranged to receive said filling ends, a pump for inducing a flow of air into said conduit, an electric motor for operating said pump, a circuit supplying electric energy to said motor, means for closing said circuit at the time of each replenishing operation and for opening said circuit a plurality of picks after each said replenishing operation is completed.

13. In an automatic filling replenishing loom of the type incidentally forming loose pieces of incoming and outgoing filling ends, said loom having filling replenishing mechanism including a magazine adapted to hold a multiplicity of reserve filling carriers having filling ends projecting therefrom, the combination of pneumatic means for holding and tensioning the reserve filling ends and for removing loose pieces of incoming and outgoing filling ends from the loom, said pneumatic means comprising a conduit arranged to receive said filling ends, a pump for inducing a fiow of air into said conduit, electro-motive means for operating said pump and a means including an electric circuit supplying electrical energy to said electro-motive means only during and for a relatively short interval after each operation of said replenishing mechanism.

14. In an automatic filling replenishing loom of the type incidentally forming loose pieces of incoming and outgoing filling ends, said loom having filling replenishing mechanism including a magazine adapted to hold a multiplicity of reserve filling carriers having filling ends projecting therefrom, the combination of pneumatic means for holding and tensioning the reserve filling ends and for removing loose pieces of incoming and outgoing filling ends from the loom, said pneumatic means comprising a conduit arranged to receive said filling ends, a pump for inducing a fiow of air into said conduit, an electric motor for operating said pump, a circuit supplying electric energy to said motor, means including a part operated by a moving part of the loom to close said circuit at the time of each replenishing operation and for opening said circuit a plurality of picks after each replenishing operation is completed.

15. In an automatic filling replenishing loom, the combination of pneumatic means for holding and tensioning the reserve filling ends and removing loose pieces of incoming and outgoing filling ends from the loom, said pneumatic means comprising a conduit having a pair of spaced apart inlets, one of said inlets being adapted to hold and tension the reserve filling ends and remove loose pieces of incoming filling ends from the loom, the other inlet being adapted to remove loose pieces of outgoing filling ends from the loom, a pump for inducing a flow of air into said conduit, an electric motor for operating said pump and a means including an electric circuit supplying electric energy to said motor only during and for a relatively short interval after each operation of said replenishing mechanism.

16. In an automatic filling replenshing loom of the type incidentally forming loose pieces of incoming and outgoing filling ends, said loom having filling replenishing mechanism including a magazine adapted to hold a multiplicity of reserve filling carriers having filling ends projecting therefrom, the combination of a conduit having a pair of spaced apart inlets, one of said inlets being arranged to hold and tension the filling ends of the reserve filling carriers and remove loose pieces of incoming filling ends from the loom, the other inlet being arranged to remove loose pieces of outgoing filling ends from the loom, a pump for inducing a flow of air into said conduit, electro-motive means for operating said pump, a circuit supplying electric energy to said electro-motive means, and means for closing said circuit at the time of each replenishing operation and for opening said circuit a plurality of picks after each said replenishing operation is completed.

CARL D. BROWN. 

